


Family

by propheticfire



Series: Viren Week [1]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Family, Fluff, Food, Gen, I will defend to the death the headcanon that Barius is Viren's uncle, Nostalgia, Viren Week (The Dragon Prince), Viren Week 2020, Viren's canon love of strong cheese, soft Viren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23497516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/propheticfire/pseuds/propheticfire
Summary: On the hunt for good bread, Viren pays a visit to Uncle Barius.
Relationships: Viren & Barius (The Dragon Prince)
Series: Viren Week [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690708
Comments: 11
Kudos: 19





	Family

The rich, cozy scent of baking wraps around Viren as he steps through the door. It beckons him forward, drawing him into the embrace of the warm, weighty air. He lets his eyes fall shut as the door closes behind him, allowing himself a moment to sink into the memories that his senses so strongly conjure up. No matter how far away he gets, walking into a bakery will always feel like coming home.

And in this case, it literally is.

“Viren my boy!” comes a gruff but friendly voice. Viren opens his eyes to find himself practically enveloped in a hug. Quickly, he moves to return the embrace.

“Hello, Uncle Barius.”

Barius hugs him tightly, before stepping back to look at him. “Haven’t seen you around in a while. Life at the castle must be keeping you busy. And is that gray I see in your beard?”

Viren ducks his head slightly as a blush blooms across his nose. “It’s nothing, Uncle Barius. I’m doing well. Life is…busy, yes.”

“I can imagine.” Barius’ eyes twinkle fondly. “How are your little ones? They’ve got to be almost grown by now.”

“They’re both teenagers.”

“Ah. That explains the gray.”

Viren can’t help but smile a little.

“But you didn’t come here to talk about all that, did you?” Barius continues. “I know that look in your eye. You’re on a mission. Are you here to steal my jelly tarts?”

Viren’s smile widens. “No, Uncle Barius.” At the mock-disbelieving look his uncle gives him, he adds, “Not this time.” He casts his gaze about the shop. “I’m looking for a particularly robust loaf of bread. Something with a hearty flavor, but not too overpowering, and a good crust.”

Barius puts a hand to his chin, also looking around. “Hmm. Hearty but not overpowering…” He wanders toward the far wall, with baskets upon baskets of all manner of loaves. “Will you be using it as a sandwich carrier? Or on its own?” He lifts out several loaves and lays them on the nearby countertop.

“Actually…”

Viren moves to the counter and places a small parcel beside the loaves. He begins to unwrap it. “I have this cheese—”

With a cry, Barius snatches up the loaves. “Put that away boy! Do you want to stink up my shop?” But the twinkle is still in his eye. “Go, take that in back. I know just the thing.”

Viren heads into the back of the shop. Here, where the real work is done, the heat and aroma press in close, welcoming him back with a familiarity that settles in his bones. Trays of jelly tarts line the big cooling table, and the oven fire crackles merrily. Childhood memories begin to bubble to the surface, of swiping fresh tarts on the way out the door, of playing hide-and-seek and being scolded for getting too close to the fire, of his uncle’s stern-sounding voice barely concealing a chuckle. Even his parents’ smiles appear in his memories. Many, many years have passed since he lost them, but being here in his childhood home always makes their faces fresh again in his mind.

His uncle’s voice startles him out of his thoughts.

“It never changes.”

Barius walks to one of the open tables. He gently sets down a large, oblong loaf of bread. Its golden crust is split by a long, raised slash, one side of which curls up slightly in a rustically artistic swell. “Life goes on, as it always does. Maybe we’re a little older, but the shop is still the same.” He picks up a serrated knife and cuts into the bread, giving Viren a pointed but mirthful look. “And so is your taste in cheese.”

Viren feels his face flush again, just a little. Barius beckons him over, and slides him a thick slice of the loaf and a smaller, thinner knife. Viren unwraps his cheese and carves off a chunk for himself and his uncle. The first bite is like heaven on his tongue. The tangy, sharp, pungent cheese mixing with the rich, earthy, chewy bread, and just enough crunch from the crust to make the texture interesting. He allows himself another moment, to bask in his self-created bliss.

He and his uncle finish their portions in companionable silence. Viren carves off another chunk of cheese for himself, and moves to offer one to his uncle, but Barius declines. “One is enough for me, my boy. That stuff is almost strong enough to make my eyes water. Here.” He slices off another thick piece of bread and hands it to Viren. “One of these days you’ll have to bring your kids back around. I haven’t seen them since they were small enough to fit in the bread baskets.”

Viren nods, mouth full of bread and cheese. “I will,” he says, when he finishes chewing. “It’s just…hard to get away, much of the time. I should be getting back, though.”

“Well, I’m glad you managed it today.”

Barius retrieves a sheet of thick paper and carefully wraps up the rest of the bread. He places it in a sack, along with Viren’s cheese, and a heaping stack of jelly tarts. Viren pulls a few coins out to pay for the items, but Barius waves the money away.

“It’s on the house. Like always, but especially today.”

“Why today?”

“My boy. It’s April eleventh.”

“Yes, and?”

Barius gives him the most fondly exasperated look he can manage.  
  
“Oh. _Oh._ It’s my birthday.”

“Yes, it’s your birthday. Now try not to work too hard, when you go back to that castle of yours. And share the jelly tarts with Soren and Claudia. But I put some banana cream ones in there especially for you.”

“Thank you.”

Viren takes the sack from his uncle, but not before he’s swept up in another tight hug.

“Don’t forget, my boy, you’ve always got family here.”

Viren hugs him back. “I won’t, Uncle Barius. Thank you again.”

He makes his way back to the front door and steps out onto the bright, cobbled street. As he turns toward the castle, his uncle’s voice rings out.

“Happy birthday, Viren!”


End file.
